The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Page #4

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"'Lacks'? That's funny.

"For years I've been working

with the cells of this woman

"who died of cervical cancer

named Henrietta Lacks,"

and goes on to explain

how any time he wants more,

all he has to do is order them

from a supplier, like everybody else.

Day has got gangrene. Toes need amputating.

Sonny, a bad heart.

Lawrence, high blood pressure.

And Dale's got...

Run herself into the ground

over all the wrong that's been done.

This family's the only ones

haven't made a dime

off of their own mother's cells.

Hello?

If you're gonna write this book

about my mama and want my help,

first, you got to tell everybody

her name wasn't no Helen Lane

or whatever they sometimes say.

And second, everybody talk

about Henrietta Lacks got four kids.

That ain't right. She got five.

'Cause my sister Elsie got sent away

to that Crownsville place,

and I don't know why.

So, we are not leaving my sister out.

Now, my brother's all upset

'cause everybody come around,

make money off our mama's cells,

but I don't care nothing about that.

What I care about is knowing about my sister

and knowing about my mother.

And you got to promise me no matter what,

you ain't gonna lie

and you ain't gonna keep nothing from me.

I promise.

Well, you better get yourself ready, girl,

'cause you got no idea

what you're getting yourself into.

Hi.

Hi, I'm Rebecca.

- Mmm.

- So nice to meet you finally.

"Finally" is right.

- Finally, finally.

- Can I help you?

No, I'm all right.

"Finally" is good.

Here's my card just in case

anything you need or...

Swore up and down I wasn't gonna talk

to nobody ever again about my mother.

But here I am.

Hope I don't regret this.

You okay?

Do you mind if I start?

- Go ahead.

- Okay.

I'm the gray child

'cause I'm the one doing all the worrying...

...about our mother's cells.

Oh, I can only imagine.

Nothing but lies and deceit.

I'm... I'm good, thanks.

But no matter what,

my mother's always been there,

watching out for us.

Look at that salad bar.

So, when you say

your mother's always been there, what...

What you don't understand is

we didn't know nothing about nothing

till that Asian lady from Hopkins showed up.

Daddy, why they want our blood?

They're testing to see

if you got the cancer killed your mama.

Did you know my mama?

No, her cells.

Everybody does.

They've been in outer space,

in a nuclear bomb.

You should be proud.

But she said everybody knows her.

She done been in bombs and outer space.

- Mama's cells have been...

- Now, hush!

We put your mama in the ground

when you was two.

You alive or you dead.

Can't be both.

Finally, somebody did call me back,

asking for more of my blood.

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